I LOVE the flavor of roasted red peppers. A while back I posted a recipe for roasted red pepper soup and received a comment that the soup was so thick and rich, it seemed more like pasta sauce than soup. Well, as someone who likes a hearty bowl of soup, that’s not such a bad thing if you ask me. But the comment did get me thinking: why not put red pepper sauce on pasta? Roasted red pepper pasta sounded quite delicious. It is!
What You’ll Need
I didn’t follow the exact soup recipe to make my pasta sauce. I switched some things up, tweaked here and there, and did quite a bit of simplifying. Here’s what you’ll need:
Dried pasta Jarred roasted red peppers Coconut milk Olive oil Onion Garlic Red pepper flakes Organic sugar Salt & pepper Fresh basil or parsley
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Cook your pasta on the stove according to the package directions. Drain and toss it with some olive oil to prevent sticking when it’s done. To make the sauce, start by blending up your roasted red peppers and coconut milk in a blender or food processor, until smooth.
Heat up some olive oil in a skillet, then add your onion. Let the onion cook until it softens up and begins to brown, then add the garlic. Cook the onion and garlic for another minute. Pour in the blended red pepper mixture, then stir in some red pepper flakes and sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil and let it simmer until it thickens up a bit.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste when it’s finished cooking, then toss it with your pasta. I like to serve my pasta with a sprinkle of fresh basil and some vegan Parmesan cheese.
Can this dish be made gluten-free? Yup! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta. Why does the sauce contain sugar? Simply to balance out the acidity. You can leave it out if it bothers you. Why does the sugar need to be organic? That’s to keep the recipe vegan. Conventional granulated sugar is (at least in the United States) processed using animal bone char. Organic sugar is processed differently, so it’s considered vegan. Does this dish taste like coconut? I couldn’t taste the coconut at all, but if you absolutely hate the taste of coconut, try swapping it out with unsweetened soy or cashew milk. Leftover storage: leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. Can I make this recipe with fresh red peppers? You can, but you’ll need to roast them. My roasted red pepper soup recipe includes a method you can use.
Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!
